Square Up SportsNFL Power Rankings (11/13/18)​Time for NFL teams to circle the wagons...or in the case of the Jets and Raiders, circle the drain...

1) New Orleans Saints (8-1)Last Week Ranking: 1Last Game: beat Cincinnati 51-14Next Game: vs. PhiladelphiaThe Saints scored on their first nine possessions and didn’t allow the Bengals to convert a third down all game.

2) Los Angeles Rams (9-1)Last Week Ranking: 3Last Game: beat Seattle 36-31Next Game: vs. Kansas City (MNF)Los Angeles held a moment of silence for the shooting victims in Thousand Oaks and the victims of the fires up in the Malibu and Sacramento areas. It’s been a tough time in the Golden State.

4) New England Patriots (7-3)Last Week Ranking: 2Last Game: lost to Tennessee 34-10Next Game: Bye WeekThe Patriots suffer their worst defeat since 2014 and were dominated from the opening kickoff. Tom Brady was benched midway through the fourth quarter. Is this finally the end? Nah.

7) Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1)Last Week Ranking: 5Last Game: Bye WeekNext Game: at ChicagoSince the Vikings were on a bye, I’ll offer this: What Jimmy Butler did to worm his way out of the Timberwolves was underhanded and selfish.

11) Carolina Panthers (6-3)Last Week Ranking: 8Last Game: lost to Pittsburgh 52-21Next Game: at DetroitI love the way Ron Rivera handled the team after a beat down. It’s the only way to handle it. Acknowledge it, learn from it, and move forward.

12) Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)Last Week Ranking: 9Last Game: lost to Dallas 27-20Next Game: at New OrleansThe season is far from over, but Philadelphia’s inconsistency on both sides of the ball is making a repeat trip to the playoffs unlikely.

13) Tennessee Titans (5-4)Last Week Ranking: 17Last Game: beat New England 34-10Next Game: at Indianapolis Tennessee pound New England with a series of blitzes up the middle leading to two sacks of Tom Brady.

17) Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)Last Week Ranking: 14Last Game: Lost to New Orleans 51-14Next Game: at BaltimoreThe Bengals fired DC Teryl Austin and Marvin Lewis will take over the defense, but it doesn’t matter. They are paper tigers. Period.

18) Atlanta Falcons (4-5)Last Week Ranking: 16Last Game: lost to Cleveland 28-16Next Game: vs. Dallas Atlanta loses an important game against a team starting a rookie quarterback and running back with an interim head coach. A bad loss all around.

26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)Last Week Ranking: 24Last Game: lost to Washington 16-3Next Game: at N.Y. GiantsThe Bucs amassed 501 yards in total offense against Washington but only scored three points. How does that happen?

27) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)Last Week Ranking: 25Last Game: lost to Indianapolis 29-26Next Game: vs. PittsburghOnly four teams have made the postseason with a 3-6 record: the 1994 New England Patriots, the 1995 Detroit Lions, the 2012 Washington Redskins, and the 1996 Jaguars. But at this rate, I can’t see history repeating for Jacksonville this season.

28) New York Giants (2-7)Last Week Ranking: 31Last Game: beat San Francisco 27-23Next Game: vs. Tampa BayEli Manning lead the Giants to a win on his 41st-career game-winning drive, for now, giving the New York media a stay of execution.

30) San Francisco 49ers (2-8)Last Week Ranking: 29Last Game: lost to N.Y. Giants 27-23Next Game: Bye WeekWith the California wildfires raging 200 miles north, the air quality index rose to 160 in the second half of the Giants/49ers game. Had it reached 200, the NFL may have postponed the game.

31) New York Jets (3-7) Last Week Ranking: 26Last Game: lost to Buffalo 41-10Next Game: Bye WeekTodd Bowles could not get the Jets ready against a reeling Bills team starting a quarterback they signed 14 days ago.